Refractory



Patented Feb. 23, 1943- REFRACTORY Gilbert E. Sell. Cynwy 2a., assignmto E. I.

Lavlno and Company, Philadelphia, Pa, a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. 7 Application July 23, 1941, Serial No. 403,660

This invention relates to refractory materials and their method of manufacture and has for its object the provision of a refractory material of novel composition and characteristics prepared by the decomposition of a natural spinel and the formation of one or more artificial spinels by a heat induced reaction involving the decomposition products of the starting spinel, said artificially formed spinels being different in chemical composition from the starting spinel.

One embodiment of the invention contemplates the heat treatment of crude chrome ore in the presence of magnesium oxide to cause chemical rearrangements by which the original chromite spinel of the ore is decomposed and reformed into a chromite spine] of different chemical composition, a, portion of the base of the original chromite spinel is converted into an acidic body which acidic body in turn is converted into a spinel by further reaction with magnesium oxide. 'Ihe silica of the crude ore is meanwhile converted into magnesium orthosilicate. V

For the purposes of this description it is sumciently accurate to say that natural chrome ore comprises a chromite spinel of the general formula (FeOMgO) (CrzOaAhOa) associated with magnesium silicate gangue minerals which can be considered as having the general formula MgQSiOz, although actually this formula varies from 2MgO.3SiO2 to 3MgO.S1O2. There are chrome ores in which. the associated gangue mineral is quartz, but ores in which this condition occurs are unusual, and the occurrence of the associated silica as magnesium metasilicate or as quartz does not change the method of carrying out this invention.

The naturally occurring chromite spinel of chrome ore is a ferrous chromite in which a portion of the FeO of t base has been replaced by MgO, and a portion f the CH? of the acid radical has been replaced by A1203. The replacement of CrzO: by A1203 in the acid radical up to the point at which there are equal weights of CH0: and A120: in the acid radical does not affect the usefulness of the chromite for refractory purposes, and in the natural chromites with which I am familiar, the replacement of CrzOa by A120: does not exceed this proportion. 0n the other hand, the extent to which the FeO has been replaced by MgO is an important consideration because the chemical reactivity of the chromite increases with the amount of FeO in the base. Thus chrome ores containing more than 14% of iron as FeO are generally considered to be too reactive chemically for refractory purposes, while the chrome ores selected for chemical purposes, in which chemical reactivity is a very desirable quality, contain von the order of 25% of iron as FeO.

Substantially all the iron in natural chrome ores occurs as ferrous iron .(FeO) in the chromite.

Small amounts of ferric iron (FeaOs) are sometimes found in the gangue minerals, but when found, the amounts are small and negligible. Chromites containing under 14% FeO, such as are used in the refractories field, are generally considered to have very low chemical activities. Yet I have found that fine grinding and exposure to air at ordinary atmospheric temperatures 10 result in the oxidation of a considerable proportion of the ferrous iron in the chromite. Starting with a chromite containing 13% to 14% FeO, it is not unusual to find only 6% Foo in the ore after fine grinding, and often oxidation of the 15 iron takes place to such an extent that as little as 2 unconverted FeO remains in the finely divided chromite. Natural chrome ores are, therefore, partially oxidized by decomposition of the chromite spinel and conversion of the iron to the ferric state by fine grinding at ordinary atmospheric temperatures. v

If a natural chrome ore is heated above 2372 F. (the dissociationtemperature of F8203). as it would be in the firing of a chrome ore brick,

all the iron in the chromite is present as FeO while the temperature is maintained. If a chrome ore brick is rapidly cooled from temperatures above 2372 F., most of the iron will remain in the ferrous state, and in a properly bonded 3o chrome brick only the surface will be reacted upon by oxygen or C0: to decompose the spinel and yield ferric oxide. 0n slower cooling oxidation takes place even to the center of the brick, and I have examined chrome ore brick in which the FeO in the faces exposed to the furnace atmosphere was of the magnitude of 0.5% to 1.00%, while the FeO in the center of the brick was of the magnitude of 1% to 4.5%. The presence of free alkaline earth oxides in the 0 brick mixture increases the rate of oxidation at a given temperature and decreases the initial temperature at which oxidation takes place.

It is the ferrous iron in the chromite which causes the decomposition of the spinel and which causes the chemical reactivity of the chromite.

The elimination of the iron from the chromite spinel in refractory bodies, and the formation of an innocuous iron compound dispersed in the matrix of the refractory body will, therefore,

greatly increase the resistance of the chromite and of the body to attack by furnace slags and gases, and will result in a refractory of decidedly superior characteristics.

One object of this invention therefore is the provision of a chromite refractory material from natural chrome ore in which the chromite spinel contains substantially no iron, the ironof the original spinel being present in the finalrefractory product as the spinel MgQFeaOs and the silica of the original ore being present in the yielding material so illustration,

final refractory product as magnesium orthosilicatc M0310 The obiect is accomplished by heat treating the original o're .in an oxidizing atmosphere in the presence of a magnesium oxide as to cause to take place the reactions represented by the following equation: (FeOMg (Chocme) m o.sio, m 0,

Original chromite Ma esium inel si icate 2Mg0 (Cr,0r.Al,0a) MgOJe-Os 2Mg0.Si0, Magnesio; Magnesium til irfe i ferrite orthosllspinel icate The above equation is only for the purpose of and shows the starting materials and the endproducts of the reaction. I have not attempted to balance the equation with respect to the molecular equivalents of the reactins substances or the reaction most likely goes through a series of intermediate steps, and the sequence of the Thus base. The 1"e0 thus liberated is oxidized to mo: and reacts with additional MgO to form the spinel magnesia-ferrite. The um metasillcate MgQSiOr reacts with magnesia to form magnesium orthosilicate ZMBQBiOz. A

The end product is a refractory material comprising grains of the reformed chromite spinel surrounded by magnesium orthosilicate in which the magnesio-ferrite spinel is disposed. The small amount of CaO present in the normalnatural chrome orthoslllcate (monticelllte- CaOMSQSiOz) which is also dispersed in the magnesium orthosilicate surrounding the grains of the reformed chromite spinel. The preferred end product is a chrome-base refractory brick in which grains of the reformed, substantially iron-free, chromite spinel are imbedded in and bonded by a matrixwhich is principally magnesium orthosilicate, with magnealo-ferrite and monticellite by-divlding the molecular weight into the percentage, and the following molecular weights are used:

can: 152 s: 3 mo A110: 102 mo 40 Cab 56 Consider for example a typical refractory grade chrome ore of the following analysis:

The molecular sum of the acids (CnOz-l-AlzOa) in the original chromite spinel is 0.505, and therefore the molecular sum of the bases (FeO-l-MgO) is 0505,01 which 0.184 is accounted for by the 1"e0 contained in the spinel. The molecular perore forms calcium magnesium the products obtained because asumo centage of the MgO in the spinel is therefore 0.505 minus 0.184 or 0.321, and the-molecular percentage of the MgO combined with the 8102 as a serpentine mineral is 0.436 minus 0.321 or 0.115. Since the molecular percentage of S10: is 0.079, the gangue mineral in the ore used as an example is (disregarding water of hydration of course) 3MgO.2SiO2. i

In the practice of this invention using the above ore as a starting material, suflicient MgO is added to permit the following rearrangements to take place:

The Eco in the chromite is replaced by MgO,

because the acid radical of the chromite has a greater afllnity for M80 than for the FeO which originally formed part of the base of the chromite. The -Fe0 thus liberated is oxidized to FezOa. At the temperature of treatment the R10: combines with MgO to form the spinel MgOIezOz. The silica orlower silicates of magnesia form magnesiu-morthosilicate at the temperature of treatment if the available MgO is molecularly twice or more thanv twice the silica present. The reaction, therefore, comprises four steps:

1. The FeO in the chromite is replaced byMgO.

2. The FeO thus liberated is converted to Pesos.

3. The FezO: reacts with MgO to form MgOl'eaoi.

4. The silica 0r silicates of the gangue react with M80 to form 2MgO.SiO:.

Practically, the mo requirements are as follows:

For each pound of FeO replaced mite: "In or 0.556 pound, or (13.22X0.556) 1.48

.pounds for 100 pounds of starting ore.

For each pound of FeO converted to MgOJP'esO:

each pound of FeO is first converted into or 1.11 pounds of Pesos. In 100 pounds of the starting ore then 1.11x13.22 or 14.6! pounds of FezO: are obtained as an intermediate reaction product. Each 160 pounds of Peso: requires 40 pounds of MgO for conversion to MgOI'ezOa,

For the conversion to Mgoreioa 3.67 For the conversion to M08102. 1.50

Tota 12.74

The MgO requirement will vary of course with thetypeoforeandthetypeofganguaandwill ntage Molewlar by weight pcomtage :2. c4 0; :us 81 4. 0.079

Als 29. w 0. 200 CaO 0. 8i 0. 014 11:0... 17. 45 0. 4%

beinereasedasthepercentageoftptal ironinthe ore increases, and will be increased as-the requirements of the silica or silicate of the gangue minerals increase, as for instance SiO: in quartz gangue requires pounds of M30 forjea'ch 60 pounds of SiO: in the ore, and magnesium metasilicate MgQSiO: requires 40 pounds of HgO for each sixty pounds of SiO: as determined by the chemical analysis of the ore.

If a mixture of natural chromeoreand the calculated amount of um oxide (plus a in the chroslight excess of magnesium oxide to compensate for the imperfection of mechanical mixing) is heated to a temperature above 3100 F., the reactions previously described take place. exact time and temperature. requirements vary with the type of ore, and in some cases it may be necessary to heat the mass to fusion. I have found that in most chrome ores of refractory grade a mixture composed of 77.5 parts of chrome ore and 22.5 parts of magnesium oxide, heated to temperatures of the magnitude of 325 R, will yield the product described herein. The product will comprise grains of an artificial spinel of the formula 2Mg0(CrzO:.Al20a), surrounded and bonded by a ground mass or matrix of magnesium orthosilicate (2MgO.SiO2), with magnesio-ferrite (MgOFerOs) small amounts of periclase (MgO) and small amounts of monticellite '(CaQMgQSiOa) dispersed in the ground mm:

Several methods of following the basic principles of the invention are possible. In one method the chrome ore and the required amount of magnesia yielding material, such as magnesite, are intimately mixed and fired at a temperature in excess of 3100 F. until the conversion is complete. The firing may be carried out in any suitable equipment, such as a rotary kiln. Very satisfactory firing is accomplished 'by pressing the mixture into adobes and firing them in a tunnel kiln. Fine grinding of the chrome ore is not necessary; chrome ore ground to pass a 6 mesh Bureau of Standards screen will yield the desired product. The magnesite, however, should be finely divided, and should be ground so that at least 85% passes a 200 mesh Bureau of Standards screen. The fired material is crushed so as to prepare any desired mesh ratio and used as an intermediate for the manufacture of brick or other refractory products. Finished refractory products, brick for example,v may then be manufactured by using 55% to 75% of the intermediate product crushed so that it all passes a 6 mesh Bureau of Standards screen with substantially all retained on a 40 mesh screen and 45% to 25% of finely ground intermediate product, tempering the mixture, pressing it into shapes, drying and firing the shapes at temperatures in excess of 3100 F. Chemical bonds of, for example, the oxy-sulphate type may be used when pressing the brick. and the brick may then be shipped in the unfired state.

In another method of practicing the invention, the crude chrome ore is fired at temperatures in excess of 3100 F., and preferably in excess of 3250 F., to recrystallize the chromite of the ore andto distribute the gangue minerals as a thin glass over and around the grains of recrystallized chromite. The chrome ore thus treated is ground preferably so that it all passes a 6 mesh Bureau of Standards screen and is substantially allretained on a 40 mesh Bureau of Standards screen. To this treated chrome ore grog is added the required amount of finely divided magnesia yielding material. The materials are dry mixed, tempered, pressed into,brick, dried and fired at a temperature above 3100 F. until the conversion is complete.

The product of'the invention is a brick having unusually high hot load strength, good spall- 'ing characteristics, but most important, it has the chemical stability to resist change in composition when in contact with furnace gases and furnace slags at extremely high operating tem- The" peratures. The last characteristic is extremely important in open hearth and electric furnaces producing high alloy steels, where operating temperatures higher than normal are encountered and where exposure to highly reactive slags I and gases are normal operating conditions.

Having thus described and exemplified my invention, which is in no wise limited to the examples given, I claim:

1. A refractory body comprising an iron free chromite spinel in a ground mass of magnesium orthosilicate, with magnesia-ferrite, periolase and monticellite dispersed in the ground mass.

2. A refractory brick that contains refractory material according to claim 1.

3. A chromite refractory granular material made from natural chrome ore, characterized in that the chromite spinel of the refractory has the formula 2MgO(Cr2O3.A12Oa) and contains substantially no iron, iron of the original spinel being present in the refractory as magnesioferrite spinel (MgQFeaOa) and silica of the original ore 'being present in the refractory as magnesium orthosilicate ('2MgO.SiO:).

4. The process of manufacturing a refractory body from natural chrome ore which comprises the heat treatment in anoxidizlng atmosphere of a'mixture of the natural chrome with a calculated quantity of a magnesium oxide yielding material at a temperature in excess of 3100 F. to cause chemical rearrangements by which the original chromite spinel of the ore is not only decomposed but reformed into a chromite spinel of different chemical composition whereby a portion of the base of the originalchromite spinel I there is silica (S102), heating the mixture in an oxidizing atmosphere to a temperature in excess of 3100 F. for a time long enough to (1) replace the FeO of the chromite with MgO, (2) convert the thus liberated FeO to F6203, (3) meet the FeaOs with MgO to form MgO.FezOa, and (4) react the silica or silicates of the gangue of the ore with MgO to form ZMgQSiOz.

6. The process of making a refractory body which comprises mixing together starting materials of natural chrome ore of the order to 77.5 parts and magnesium oxide of the order of 22.5 parts, and heating the mixture in an oxidizing atmosphere to a temperature of at least 3100 F. and preferably of the order of 3250 F. for a time long enough to cause reaction between the reactable constituents of the mixture to form a chemically stabilized mass.

7. The process of making a refractory .body which comprises mixing together starting materials of natural chrome ore and a material that mosphere to a temperature of at least 3100 F.

for a time long enough to cause reaction between the reactable constituents of the mixture to form a chemically stabilized granular mass.

m oxldizlnz atmpsphere 3100' 1''. for puma long enough to cause the reactsble monuments of mesh screen..

GILBERT E. SEIL. 

